Recent concerns over public workers being liberated from forced fees by the U.S. Supreme Court seem to miss important issues of individual choices.

Most public employees are all on merit system pay and fringes — comp worth also.

Forced fees hurt new unions, associations and voices springing up that may oppose being roped into a monopoly bargaining agent that claims an exclusive right to speak for all. Most people never get to vote for the union that exists when they start work.

Many small types of workers’ groups end up chained to a large group that minimize their needs and concerns. Regular votes to recertify a union rarely exist.

Veterans in most states may have better job protection than unions can provide. Unions should get members like all private groups do. Free right-to-work states usually have lower dues.

The largest vet groups can’t get forced fees from all vets nor can other private groups.

Unions cite higher pay in forced fee states, but that was true in the 1920s before federal or state forced fees existed. Poor rural RTW states are gaining fast today.

Meeting and conferring with all is a better way to bargain for agreements that involve all.

Right-to-work states today have lower cost of living, taxes and faster job growth.

Chained workers are not free riders but forced riders, forced to contribute to many things they don’t want or believe in.

Let’s end forced labor fees.

Tom Schleck

Albert Lea